Railway signaling apparatus.



PATENTED DEC. 3, 1907. I. L. DODGSON & W. K. HOWE. RAILWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 27, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEHT 1.

, wit [55m -N0. 872,613. PATENTED DEC. 3, 1907.

' P. L. DODGSON & W. K. HOWE.

RAILWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.27, 1905.

2 SHEBTS-SHEET 2.

' To all whom it may concern a Be it known that we, FRANKL. DODGSON and WINTHROP K. HowE, citizens of. the:

Ilnited States, residing at Buffalo, in the 7 p1 TED STATES PATENT o EIcE.

' FRANK L. DODGSON AND WINTHROP K. HowE,'oE BUFFALO, NEW YORK, assie voas T0 GENERAL RAILWAY SlGNAL COMPANY, or BU-FFALO,NEW YORK, A CORPORATION or NEwYoEK.

county ofErie and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in -Railway Signaling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to railway signaling, and more particularly to, train brake control in connection with a signal.

The object of our invention is to provide means for a plying the air-brakes on a train automatica y and without the let or ,hin-

sdrance of'the engineer if he attem ts to pass a signal when set in the stop position; also to any so stop a train in like manner in the event of break-down of any'of the mechanism or the cessation '01 current, from any cause, which c'ontrolsthe air-control mechanism, as hereafter described, We areaware that a number of devices have been intended-for a similar l'purpose, such, for example," as mechanica trips placed upon-thelocomotive or car in such a way-that, when they,come in contact with an obstruction raised the track-space, they will open a valve in the train-plpe, thus setting the air-brakes. In other devices this end is accomplished by means-ofelectrical contacts on the locoinotive or car or the track and electro-magnetic means for controlling a valve in the train pipe. We refer to these two classes of devices 1 in order to point out the defects which we, overcome and to show wherein our inVentionmeets the fundamental'require ments of railway signaling as such requiremerits have not been met heretofore.

The mechanical devices above'referred to are objectionable in that they have the fundamental objection of hysical contact between a moving and a ed point; and also that the moving piece or trip on the engine oroar may be interfered with'by ice, snow or other obstruction on the track, and may thus ply the air-brakes when it is not intended a a t ey should .be applied- The prior electrical devices above referred to areobjectionable in thattheirpperation depends upon the ap ,plication of-current and a so upon the actual making of physical, contact.

In our invention we have overcome all of 1 these objectionsf bdispensing with all inc-{I 1 chanic'al omelectncal contact between the l -RAILWAY SIGNALING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed November 27. 1905. Serial No. 289.292.

Patented Dec. 3, 1907.

alpparatus on the track and the a paratus on t e locomotive or car; and furt ermore we i sitlon.

Inthe following description of our invention we shall show the same as em loyed in I connection with a visuallsignal.

t will be E understood, however, that the invention has a muchwider field of use, as, for example in connection with a switch-box, a draw-bridge lock, at a grade crossing and the like; and while, for brevity and clearness we have, in the claims, employed the term signal?, it will be understood that we do not intend to so limit ourselves, but, claim broadly the general adaptation of our invention to switching and signaling pur oses.

Referring to t e drawin s herewith, in which like characters of re erence indicatecorresponding parts, Figure 1 represents dia-' grammatically a side elevation of our mven tion. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic plan showing the relation of the signal and the device whichisplaced adjacentto the track; Fig; 3-is a detail plan v1ew of said last mentioned devicee Fig. 4 is a view similar toFig. 1 of a modified form of our invention;

R, R, represent the rails of the track W,

W, the wheels of a locomotive or car truck, S a signal, P'the train-pipe, and V avalve in i said train-pipe.- Referring first to Figs. 1 to 3,-

1 is a magnet of special construction which is I carried on the frame of the truck of a car or a locomotive, preferably overhangin the space between the rails, R, R, as s own (although it Will be understood that magnet ,may depend outside the rails when its coasting member is so placed) 2 is ade vioe h ereafter more fully described, so placed "between the tracks that the magnet 1 will j pass directly over it, in close proximity, but

without touching it; I e

' motive, by wires 8, 9,10 and 11.

We will first describe the several elements relating to themagnet 1.

Themagnet 1 comprises pole-pieces 3 and 4, which are large in proportion to the-core 5, which carries the windings 6. The windings 6 are connected permanently to a source of electric energy 7 carried by the car or loco- Pivoted to the pole-piece 4 is an armature 12, which carries a contact piece 15, capable of making electrical connection between contact points 13 and 14. The proportion of the winding 6 andother parts of the magnet 1 are such that, under normal conditions, enough lines of force come through the armature -12- to hold it in contact with pole-piece 3; but when any. mass of iron is brought in proximity'to the lower parts of the p le-pieces3 and 4, some lines of force will be diverted from armature 12 and pass through said mass of iron, thuscausing the armature 12 to fall away from the pole-piece 3 and break the contact between the points 13 and 14. The contact-point 13 connects with battery 7 by wires loand 11'; and contact point 14 connects with the o posite pole of'battery 7 through wire-1 7, coi of solenoid-18, and wires 19 and 8. The'solenoid connects with the stem of valve V in such manner that, ,when the solenoid 18 is energized, the valve V is-closed thereby, and when said solenoid 18 is deenergized the valve V I, automatically opens. Referrm now to the device 2, placed adacent to t e track, within a non-magnetic casing 22 is an iroiiplate 20. This-plate is' pivoted to arms 21, 21, which are pivoted at thlr lower ends to the casing 22 and which 23 is pivotaly connected to the blade or other moving art of the signal S (see Fi :2) by rod 24, be l-crank lever 30, rod 29, hellcrank lever 28, rod 27, lever 26 and rod 25.

The late 20 is shown in proceed position in in 1 lines and in stopposition in broken lines. It will nowbe seen that, if'the plate 20 is raised by movement of thesignal S to the stop position, it willbe brought into the field of themagnet 1.

The operation 1s as follows:- The magnet 1 being freefromeirternal influence, the battery 7 energizes the pole ieces 3 and 4, and the armature 12 is raise to close points 13 and- 14 with plate 15'. This closes another circuit includlng the magnet or solenoid 18, the current flowing through both circuits at the same time, and the ma net 18 acts to close the valve V. This con 'tion continues nntil attempt is made to pass a signal set at the stop positioln, or until a break in the apparatus occurs. If such disregard of a signal oecurs, the plate 20 being in the raised position, the magnet 1 will be afl'ected-thereytodo rive the armature 12 of suflicient lines of orc ze to cause the plate -15 to fall The bar f andput on the air. break in the apparatus carried by the train will result in opening the valve V, and any break in the signal mechanism will produce working condition and flow. of current.

Referring now ,to Fig 4, we have there shown our invention adapted to the employing type. It will be seen that the general except as to the features which we will now point out. rent whichis in permanent circuit with: a winding 6' onthe. core 5. Instead of an armature 12 we employ a second winding 31 on circuit with a relay magnet 32. This relay tact piece 34 under the conditions hereafter described. Contact of the armature 33 with the piece 34'closes a circuit including a bat wire 37, winding of magnet 18, and wire 38 to battery 35-. I It will now be seen that, under ordinary conditions, the current flowing through the winding 6" Will set up a feeble current'in the winding 31'that is, the two windings will act as the primary and second-- ary of a transformer, developing sufficient energy in therelay 32 to lift the armature 33 against its spring into electrical connection with the contact piece 34, but not enough to and against the core of the relay 32. If, now, a conductor, such as the p at brought into the fields of the pole-pieces 3 and much more powerful current will be set up in the coil of the relay 32. This will result in sufiicient energization of said relay 32 to cause the armature 33 to, break contact with the plate 34, thus deener izing the magnet put on the air.

- It willthus be seen that the functions and adapted .to a continuous governing current and the other to an alternating'governing current. \e

Having thus described our we claimisz. 4 i 1. In combination with a signal and a brake system of a railway tram, electromagnetic means carried by said train for normally holding said brake system inactive,

ing aconductor ca able of diverting the es from electrical connection with the points 13- and 14. I This will deenergize the magnet 18, and the valve V will automatically open In like manner any ment'of a governing current of the alternat-' the core 5, and this winding isin permanent tery 35, wire 36, armature 33, contact 34,-

lift said armature 33 clear of the contact 34 I 105 e 20, is

a like result, since normality depends upon construction is the same-as above described 7 is a source of alternating cur- 32 has an armature 33 spring-held out of con tact with the core of the relay 32, and capable of making electrical connection with a=con- 4, the flow will be materially increased and a 18 and allowing the valve to automatically general construction of the two forms of our apparatus are the same, the one belng invention, what and means actuated bysaid signal com risof magnetic force omfthe governing magnet of said electro-magnetic means for rendering said electro-magnetic 'means inactive, when said signal is in the stop position and cansing said brake system to act.

2. In combination with a signal and a brake system of a railway train, electromagnetic means carried by said train fornormally holding said brake system inactive, a

said.

magnet, an electric switch governin electro-magnetic means, a source of e ectric energy, a magnetic conductor and means actuated by said si nal for moving it in and out of the plane of t e field of said magnet, said magnet having its poles and helix so proportioned as to cause it to release said electric switch when said conductor is in its magnetic field 3. of a railway train, a train stop comprising a In combination with the brake system valve biased to the position of air on, electroma netic means for normally overcoming suc bias, an electro-magnet, an electric switch governed by said magnet and governing said first-mentioned electro-magnetic means, a source of electric energy; and a magnetic conductor adjacent to the tracks and means formov'ing'it in and out of the plane of the magnetic field of said magnet, said magnet having its poles and helix so disproportioned as to release said switch when said magnetic conductor is in its field.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto set our hands in the presence of two witnesses.

- FRANK L. DODGSON. WINTHROP K. HOWE.

Witnesses:

MARK H. HOVEY, C. J. LEWIS. 

